We’ve got some exciting news out of Hong Kong Disneyland today as the resort celebrated the grand opening of Disney Explorers Lodge, a new 750-room hotel that has to be seen to be believed.

Bill Ernest, president and managing director of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, APAC, and Sam Lau, executive vice president and managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland, joined leaders from the Hong Kong government for a spectacular grand opening celebration.

Disney Explorers Lodge celebrates the spirit of exploration. The story behind the resort hotel takes place in the grand era of exploration and tells of four explorers who built a lodge based on their adventures around the world, adding their own artifacts and specimens gathered during their lifetime of travels. The hotel is inspired by the explorers’ travels to an African savannah, a South American rainforest, a Polynesian island paradise and an area inspired by the natural beauty of Asia.

Disney characters play an important part of the immersive story at Disney Explorers Lodge. Each of the four wings features an outdoor garden with a matching theme, named after an iconic Disney or Disney•Pixar character and featuring creative nods to the character – Oceania’s Little Squirt Garden (“Finding Nemo“); Asia’s Hathi Jr. Garden (“The Jungle Book“); Africa’s Rafiki Garden (“The Lion King“); and South America’s Kevin Garden (“Up“).

The opening of Disney Explorers Lodge continues an historic period of growth at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is the first new hotel since the Resort’s opening more than a decade ago. Earlier this year the all-new Iron Man Experience opened to guests and is already the most popular attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland. The resort has also announced exciting new expansion plans that will bring the best characters and stories from The Walt Disney Company, including Marvel and “Frozen,” to life in ways never before seen at a Disney park.

Have you booked your trip to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort yet? Are you planning a stay at Disney Explorers Lodge? Let us know in the comments below.